Saint John School Principal

Posted on September 6, 2013 | Comments Off on Saint John School Principal

St John School_NewAfter five years as Principal and many years as a teacher, Ms. Kathi Aldridge has moved on from St. John School.  With more than 20 years at St. John School, Kathi built several reputations during her long tenure.  As a faculty member, she was utterly devoted to her students, providing a life foundation for class-after-class of students and introducing all of them to the magic and joy of learning. Her contributions helped to build the brand and reputation of St. John’s as a school devoted to exploration, learning, and Catholic-based values.  As Principal, Kathi guided our efforts over the past five years to improve our technology education, and most recently, led our efforts to introduce a foreign language offering into our curriculum.  We offer our prayers and good wishes to her.   The new Principal is Mr. Robert Arsenault and he comes to us after many years as Principal of elementary schools in Wilmington and Winchester. We are privileged to have a person with such extensive experience, coupled with an abundance of personal gifts as the leader of St. John School. We extend to him our warmest welcome, and we are sure that he will experience the genuine hospitality that is characteristic of St. John School.

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Posted in Important Announcements, Saint John School

Regular Mass Schedule Resumes
This Sunday, September 8

Posted on September 6, 2013 | Comments Off on Regular Mass Schedule Resumes
This Sunday, September 8

Mass_cross graphicDaily Mass: 
7:00am
Saturday Vigil Mass: 
5:00pm
Sunday Masses: 
7:30am, 9:00am Family Mass, 11:00am, 5:00pm

Note: Our Family Mass “Coffee and Donuts” will begin next Sunday, September 15.

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This Sunday, September 8

Posted in Important Announcements, Special Mass Schedule

Archdiocesan Prayer Vigil for Peace – Saturday, September 7

Posted on September 4, 2013 | Comments Off on Archdiocesan Prayer Vigil for Peace – Saturday, September 7

Pope Francis_Prayer Vigil

May a powerful cry for peace go up from every land! – Pope Francis
Pope Francis has called for a day of fasting and prayer for peace this coming Saturday, September 7.  

“This coming Saturday we will live together a special day of fasting and prayer for peace in Syria, the Middle East, and throughout the world. I renew the invitation to the whole Church to live this day intensely, and even now I express gratitude to the other Christian brethren, to the brethren of other religions and to the men and women of good will who desire to join in this initiative, in places and ways of their own… May a powerful cry for peace go up from every land!”

In solidarity with the Holy Father, the Cardinal invites the faithful of the Archdiocese to join him at St. John’s Seminary in Brighton for a Vigil for Peace on Saturday beginning at 1:00 pm and concluding with a Mass at 5pm celebrated by the Cardinal in St. John’s Seminary Chapel. Visit the seminary website for directions and parking information: www.sjs.edu

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Posted in Important Announcements

2013-2014 Religious Education Schedule

Posted on September 4, 2013 | Comments Off on 2013-2014 Religious Education Schedule

Religious-Education-Contemporary_SMALL2013-2014 Classes for all grades will begin as follows:
Grades 1–6:
Sunday 9/22 from 10–10:45 AM or Wednesday 9/25 from 3:30 – 4:45 PM
Grades 7 – 10:
Sunday 9/22 from 6 – 8 PM
A final calendar and Opening Day Procedures were recently mailed to all families, and are available on our website.
Registration: Religious Education registration packets for the 2013/2014 school year were mailed to all families. If you have not received a packet in the mail, it is available for download on the Religious Education page on our website.  The late registration fee now applies; please include $25/child in addition to the stated fee.
Confirmation: Our Parish’s Confirmation preparation is a two year program beginning in grade 9. Except for those enrolled in Catholic schools, all students must complete the two year program prior to being Confirmed. All 10th grade Catholic school students planning to be Confirmed in May 2014 must fully participate in the second year of the Parish Religious Education Program. If you have any questions, please email Jane Leonard  or call 781.237.0141.
Teachers: We are always looking for volunteers who are willing to teach. We are especially in need of Wednesday afternoon teachers for grades 3,4, and 5 and Sunday evening teachers for grades 8 and 9. If you are interested, please contact the Religious Education office at 781.235.5337 or 781.237.0141.

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Posted in Religious Education Program

Thank You from St. Francis House!

Posted on September 4, 2013 | Comments Off on Thank You from St. Francis House!

The St. Francis House Men’s Clothing Drive on the weekend of June 15–16 was a huge success – thank you for your generosity!  As a parish community, we collected a truck load of gently-used everyday men’s clothing such as jeans, shirts, sweatshirts, and hats, as well as new socks for their Foot Clinic, which provides foot care and new socks to homeless clients (see photos below.)  We send a special Thank You to those who purchased new socks! 

St. Francis House VanThe driver who did the pick up from St. Francis House told us that he’s been doing this for 17 years, and when he started he went to 120+ churches.  Now he’s down to 25 or so, with the volume of donations at many trending down.  However, he said that St. John’s has shown the reverse trend, with increasing donations of the highest quality clothing, which their clients so appreciate, especially as they try to return to the work force. Our volume increase about 30%-40% from last year’s collection. We achieved this as a community! 

Click here to see photos and a special thank you message from the Service Commission!

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Posted in Important Announcements, Seasonal Initiatives, Service Commission

Collaborative FAQ 6: What will happen to our pastors?

Posted on August 30, 2013 | Comments Off on Collaborative FAQ 6: What will happen to our pastors?

SJSP Collaborative Logo_SmallQuestion 6: When it’s time for our parish to start our Parish Collaborative, what will happen to our pastors?
In short, we don’t know yet. There will be one Pastor shared between St. John’s and St. Paul’s. The Archdiocese has stated that the Pastor for each Collaborative shall be a priest:
· Whose reputation is well established
· Who is committed to the mission of the Church and to the New Evangelization
· Who has a proficiency in working in a collaborative environment, with strong skills of leadership, decision-making, oversight, and communication
· Who can work well with staff and parish councils
· Who can maintain an equitable relationship between/among the parishes
· Who is respectful of the different cultures of the parishes
· Who has the language skills to care for the people of his parishes
· Who is willing to participate in significant training and evaluation.

We welcome your comments and feedback. Please email your questions or comments about Parish Collaboratives to:  stjohn.stpaul@gmail.com

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Posted in Disciples in Mission, SJSP Collaborative, SJSP Collaborative Planning - FAQ

Collaborative FAQ 5: What’s the Plan for Our Collaborative?

Posted on August 23, 2013 | Comments Off on Collaborative FAQ 5: What’s the Plan for Our Collaborative?

SJSP Collaborative Logo_SmallQuestion 5: I keep hearing that our parish will be part of a Parish Collaborative. Is there a plan specifically customized for the local needs of our two parishes and the unique character that  our “Wellesley/Newton Lower Falls” Collaborative will have?

We know that our Parish Collaborative will be comprised of St. John’s and St. Paul’s. We don’t know when our Collaborative will start, but we do know that a “Local Pastoral Plan” will be developed once our Collaborative is up and running. The Pastor will appoint a team to write the Local Pastoral Plan for our
Collaborative. This Plan will contain the details of how St. John’s and St. Paul’s will run their programs, promote vocations, and engage in “radical hospitality” to promote the goal of New Evangelization. The Plan will contain goals and ways to measure the movement toward these goals and will need to be approved by the Archbishop. Our Local Pastoral Plan will be unique to our Collaborative.

We welcome your comments and feedback. Please email your questions or comments about Parish Collaboratives to – stjohn.stpaul@gmail.com

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Posted in Disciples in Mission, SJSP Collaborative, SJSP Collaborative Planning - FAQ

Collaborative FAQ 4: When will our Parish Collaborative start?

Posted on August 16, 2013 | Comments Off on Collaborative FAQ 4: When will our Parish Collaborative start?

SJSP Collaborative Logo_SmallQuestion 4: We’re hearing a lot about Parish Collaboratives lately. Will our parish be in a Parish Collaborative? When will our Parish Collaborative start?

Yes, our parish will definitely be in a Parish Collaborative. We know that St. John’s and St. Paul’s will be grouped together in the Collaborative, but we don’t know specifically when the Collaborative will begin. Parishes around the area will start their Collaboratives in phases over a five year period. Twenty-eight parishes in the archdiocese formed twelve Collaboratives in Phase I, which began earlier this year. St. John’s and St. Paul’s will be in a later phase. We don’t have an exact date yet, but we will keep you informed as details become available.  When we form our Collaborative, each parish will maintain its own identity – its own name, its buildings, its canonical rights, its own bank accounts, its own books, its own financial assets, and its own financial obligations. Common costs of the Collaborative (such as staffing and shared programs) will be shared between St. John’s and St. Paul’s.

We welcome your comments and feedback. Please email your questions or comments about Parish Collaboratives to:  stjohn.stpaul@gmail.com

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Posted in Disciples in Mission, Important Announcements, SJSP Collaborative, SJSP Collaborative Planning - FAQ

Religious Education Classes Begin September 22

Posted on August 16, 2013 | Comments Off on Religious Education Classes Begin September 22

Religious-Education-Contemporary_SMALLClasses for all grades will begin as follows:
Grades 1–6:
Sunday 9/22 from 10–10:45 AM or Wednesday 9/25 from 3:30 – 4:45 PM
Grades 7 – 10:
Sunday 9/22 from 6 – 8 PM

2013-2014 Class Schedule: A final calendar is available on our website and will be mailed to all families later this month.
Registration: Religious Education registration packets for the 2013/2014 school year were mailed to all families. If you have not received a packet in the mail, it is available for download on the Religious Education page on our website.  The late registration fee now applies; please include $25/child in addition to the stated fee.

Confirmation: Our Parish’s Confirmation preparation is a two year program beginning in grade 9. Except for those enrolled in Catholic schools, all students must complete the two year program prior to being Confirmed. All 10th grade Catholic school students planning to be Confirmed in May 2014 must fully participate in the second year of the Parish Religious Education Program. If you have any questions, please email Jane Leonard  or call 781.237.0141.

Teachers: We are always looking for volunteers who are willing to teach. We are especially in need of Wednesday afternoon teachers for all grades and Sunday evening teachers for grades 7 and 8. If you are interested, please contact the Religious Education office at 781.237.0141.

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Posted in Religious Education Program

Thursday, August 15 – Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Posted on August 13, 2013 | Comments Off on Thursday, August 15 – Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Assumption of Mary_ContemporaryThis Thursday, August 15 is the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a Holy Day of Obligation.
St. John’s Mass Schedule:
Thursday, August 15 at 7:00am, 12:00pm and 5:30pm
St. Paul’s Mass Schedule:
Wednesday, August 14 at 7:00pm
Thursday, August 15 at 6:45am and 9:00am

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Posted in Important Announcements, Special Mass Schedule